Want debate on AP special status issue: CM

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said he wanted to hold a debate on granting special category status to the state and other issues mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Act, days after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in this regard.

“I want discussion on (granting) special status to AP and other issues mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Act, besides on the corruption in the tenure of YS Rajasekhar Reddy (late AP CM). I would place all issues before people,” Naidu said.

He also appealed to the opposition parties not to “politicise” the issue of granting special status to AP and join him in the development of the state, which was bifurcated last year to create Telangana.

Naidu also asked people not to resort to extreme step like committing suicide for the cause of special status.

His appeal came a day after a 55-year-old physically- challenged man allegedly committed suicide in Nellore district over the issue.

“I appealed to the Prime Minister to take responsibility for development of the state at par with other developed states neighbouring Andhra. I requested PM to implement all issues incorporated in the AP Reorganisation Act,” the CM said while interacting with reporters here.

Naidu met Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday amid escalating pressure from the opposition parties on the demand for granting special status as promised during division of the State last year.

The CM said he had appealed to Union government to award additional incentives for industries in the State as corporates will not be able to set up new units in the absence of incentives.

“I also requested the Prime Minister to allocate more funds for Polavaram irrigation project to expedite its completion. The Centre has agreed to reimburse the expenditure from time to time,” Naidu added.

In a related development, Union Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu today urged the NITI Aayog to “expeditiously” examine the issue of granting Special Status for Andhra Pradesh and assistance package to the State.

The Centre’s stand on the issue is that a final view on granting special status would be taken reconciling with the Finance Commission’s recommendation.